Television thread

[schild]

Nope. Holt is played by Josh Stewart, while Mason (Dead Like Me) was played by Callum Blue.

[Sky]

My Name is Earl. I love Norm MacDonald. I love Norm doing his Burt Reynolds.

[schild]

Christ. Painkiller Jane is some dogshit.

[eldaec]

I am informed that you American types are getting the second series of Life on Mars starting April 30 assuming you have BBC America.

You should watch that.

[schild]

Is there going to be another season of Primeval?

[eldaec]

Apparently yes.

It's ITV so I didn't watch the first one. Typically it's safe to assume that everything on ITV is shit.

[schild]

I can stand very little british television because of the pisspoor broadcast qualty (even on big name things, MI-6, Life on mars, etc), but I was able to stand primeval. Probably because of the absolutely ridiculous premise.

Why does Britain broadcast everything through a time machine back to the 70s and then back to us? It really fucks up the video quality.

[Ironwood]

I can stand very little british television because of the pisspoor broadcast qualty (even on big name things, MI-6, Life on mars, etc), but I was able to stand primeval. Probably because of the absolutely ridiculous premise.

Yet more evidence, were it needed, that you're completely insane.  And have no taste.

[stray]

I hear what Schild's trying to say. Some British shows (really, just Euro shows in general) look like they're using old equipment and sets . While I loved it, I first thought Ab Fab was just reruns of a British show from the 80's. It had the set and film quality of a show like All in the Family. If it wasn't for the references, clothes, and styling, I wouldn't have known it was contemporary.

Red Dwarf had the quality of a MST3K skit (the stuff they did in-between making fun of bad movies). Really amateur-ish.

There's this BBC Robin Hood TV series on right now -- I kind of like it, but something like that would probably get the feature film treatment in the States.

[edit] Spelling

[Ironwood]

Robin Hood deserves the cast, crew and writers to be bundled into a mini and the mini set on fire.

Then release the wolves.

[stray]

I've only seen about four episodes. I don't mind it so far.

Then again, I only turn it on when there's nothing else on (BBC On Demand). ;)

[schild]

I can stand very little british television because of the pisspoor broadcast qualty (even on big name things, MI-6, Life on mars, etc), but I was able to stand primeval. Probably because of the absolutely ridiculous premise.

Yet more evidence, were it needed, that you're completely insane.  And have no taste.

Seriously, the shows look like they were made by equipment that would be used in a 70s porn. You can claim otherwise, and claim I have no taste, but it doesn't prove anything other than you have bad eyes.

The worst part, is that the quality is that bad ON DVD.

[stray]

OTOH, I think that most broadcasts on the Sci-Fi channel look pretty bad too. Many of which are American.

[schild]

OTOH, I think that most broadcasts on the Sci-Fi channel look pretty bad too. Many of which are American.

Oh they look like dogshit. But our news channels at least don't look like a college/high school public access LEARN SPANISH channel.

[eldaec]

Why does Britain broadcast everything through a time machine back to the 70s and then back to us? It really fucks up the video quality.

It's actually the reverse, the British production companies use as little image manipulation as possible, and end up with images that, when compared to reality, look far more 'accurate'. The British public wails and moans whenever a popular British show is put out with US style image filtering.

The problem is that this makes special effects look far more obvious, and makes it harder for editors to add atmosphere in post production. Everything looks like it is set in a TV studio.

The second problem is that you can never convince a British producer to shell out for extras. That was never more obvious than on Spooks/MI6 which appeared to present a world where SIS had at most eight employees.

[Yegolev]

Is Primeval that show with the lesbian ghost?  That was pretty crappy.

[schild]

Heh. No. Primeval is about a rift in the space time continuum that let's monsters through.

It's actually the reverse, the British production companies use as little image manipulation as possible, and end up with images that, when compared to reality, look far more 'accurate'. The British public wails and moans whenever a popular British show is put out with US style image filtering.

The problem is that this makes special effects look far more obvious, and makes it harder for editors to add atmosphere in post production. Everything looks like it is set in a TV studio.

The second problem is that you can never convince a British producer to shell out for extras. That was never more obvious than on Spooks/MI6 which appeared to present a world where SIS had at most eight employees.

Yea, MI6 is the show that really set me off. Before I coped with it because I mostly watched comedy and after SCTV, you can watch anything. But the moment suspense/action stuff came up, oh man, trash. Someone should really tell the BBC that everything they make looks like dogshit.

[Yegolev]

Now, if they were actually coming from the moon, that would be super-duper.

[Wolf]

Is anyone watching Jericho? I just started watching it next week and it's very... fallouty. Especially the last episode.

[Yegolev]

I have seen a few episodes where Major Dad goes with some people to a lawless town to get parts.  Trouble is, everything on CBS makes me feel like I am watching Diagnosis: Murder.

[tazelbain]

It's a weird show. On one hand, it's sci-fi with broad story arcs that we know and love.  On the other, it's folksy oatmeal-style dialogue and cinematography can be tiresome.

[Yegolev]

Ah yes, that's what I was trying to think of: it's very CBS... that is to say it's very Wilford Brimley and/or Angela Lansbury.  I feel like I need to have a Reader's Digest and some Aspercreme nearby while I watch it.

[Wolf]

Yeah, well, it's the only post-appocalyptic anti-utopia show right now. Or am I wrong? And I fucking LOVE this setting... I guess I played fallout at a very impressionable age.

[schild]

Watching The Lost Room again.

So good.

[Johny Cee]

Watching The Lost Room again.

So good.

One thing you can say for scifi despite all the shit they ladle out is when they get something right, they get it right.  Great miniseries.  Would be interesting as a full television series,  but I don't see how they could go anywhere but down from the mini.

[kaid]

Hehe scifi isn't afraid to trot out a whole bunch of dogs in hope one of them is actually a diamond. They get it wrong a lot but then when they get it right it can be quite good. I am oddly entertained by eureka and am glad that got a second season. Still I like bad zombie films so take anything I say with a brain eating grain of salt.

[tazelbain]

I loved LR, but knew it wouldn't get picked up.  It focused more on the sci-fi elements than the characters.  That was more "hardcore" sci-fi than what most people like.

[Big Gulp]

Okay, I've been sitting on season 2 of Battlestar Galactica for like, 6 months now, and I've decided to finally watch it.  Good so far, but I absolutely cannot stand Starbuck.  Shitty character, shitty actress, all in all just pure shit.  Anyone else having this reaction, or is it just me?

[Johny Cee]

Okay, I've been sitting on season 2 of Battlestar Galactica for like, 6 months now, and I've decided to finally watch it.  Good so far, but I absolutely cannot stand Starbuck.  Shitty character, shitty actress, all in all just pure shit.  Anyone else having this reaction, or is it just me?

Not a big Starbuck fan,  though I missed almost all of season 2.  It's some consolation that shitty things keep happening to her, though.

I watch for Tigh, Adama, and the Pres.  Fun, fun characters.

[eldaec]

Starbuck was ok when she had less angst and some kind of functional relationship with other people. Season 1 she was fine. Season 2 she is ok some of the time. Season 3 she's as annoying as everyone else and in season 3 that's pretty damn annoying.

[Sky]

If annoying means real, then sure. I think the whole love quadrangle thing is a good subplot, though the editing in the last UniHD episode (the one with Baltar's interrogation) was too much. They've done a great job of growing the characters, imo. If you think they're acting annoying, well, you try being on the run for years after your entire civilization was destroyed, unsure which day will be your last.

I think there are three or four episodes left in season three on UniHD, some good stuff. I can almost participate in the BSG thread here now ;)

[stray]

I thought she was annoying in the first episode.

There are other reasons why I don't like that show, but she didn't help.

Also, she kind of resembles William Forsythe.

[MrHat]

Drive cancelled after 3 weeks.

Why does Fox hate me so.

Actually, why do the television companies hate Tim Minear?

[HaemishM]

Fuck, I haven't even watched the premiere episode of Drive on the Tivo yet. Fucking Fox.

[Nevermore]

That's too bad, it was a fun show.  Silly sure, but fun to watch.  I guess it needed more Dom DeLouise and Jackie Chan.

Edit: Maybe Nathan Fillion screwed some Fox exec's wife or something.